1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charge adapter for a wireless communication terminal such as a cellular phone for easily switching the contact surfaces alternately between a state only for charging and a state for simultaneously charging and performing data communication using a communication cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
A battery is built into, or is integrally mounted on a wireless communication device such as a cellular phone. Usually, a main unit of the cellular phone is simply mounted on a cradle, or the like, in a charge adapter for charging when the battery is exhausted.
Recently, cellular phones are often connected to a personal computer through a data communication cable for mutual data transmission between the cellar phone and the personal computer, or wireless data communication. While there is no problem when the cellar phone is simply charged on the charge adapter, the communication function may be disconnected when the battery of the cellular phone is exhausted during the data communication.
Thus, the need is increasing to be able to charge during data communication. However, because both connection terminals for the data communication cable, and terminals for charging are generally located around the bottom of the cellular phone, when the cellar phone is mounted on the charge adapter as shown in FIG. 16, a communication cable plug 7 interferes with a contact surface of the charge adapter 101 or 102, so that the charge adapter cannot be connected to the cellular phone.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact charge adapter which has high mounting stability for preventing the cell phone from falling, and which easily switches contact surfaces alternately between one suitable for mounting a cellular phone in an upright state only for charging, and one suitable for mounting in a tilted state for connecting a data communication plug to the bottom of the cellular phone thereby permitting communicating during charging
To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventor has studied the shape and the structure of a charge adapter which mounts a cellular phone in an upright state for reducing a required space when the cellular phone is simply charged, and for securing a contact stability, and mounts the cellular phone in a tilted state for connecting a plug for a data communication cable with the bottom, and for operating buttons when the cellular phone is used for data communication while being charged.
A charge adapter according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises charging terminals for contacting charging terminals of a battery provided for a cellar phone, a main unit case having a recess for mounting and fixing a main unit of the cellular phone during charging, and a rotor case rotatably provided on a side surface (a rear surface) of the main unit case, the rotor case including a first contact surface for coming in contact with ground when the cellular phone is mounted in an upright state, and a second contact surface for coming in contact with ground when the cellular phone is mounted in a tilted state.
With this charge adapter, when a cellular phone is mounted in the upright state, the first contact surface of the rotor case faces down, and when the cellar phone is mounted in the tilted state, the rotor case is turned, and the main unit case of the charge adapter is set horizontally so that the second contact surface of the rotor case faces down.
A charge adapter according to a second aspect of the invention is the charge adapter according to the first aspect, characterized in that a bottom of the recess for mounting and fixing the cellular phone has an opened arm shape, and a plug for a data communication cable is inserted from the bottom side of the main unit case through the arm shape when the cellular phone is mounted in the tilted state.
As a result, when the rotor case of the charge adapter is turned with the second contact surface facing down, and a cellular phone is mounted in the tilted state, because the mounting part of the charge adapter has the arm shape, and has an opening at the bottom, access is available for connection of the plug for the data communication cable through this part.
Thus, as long as the bottom of the recess for mounting a cellular phone has an opening, the arm shape may have separate arms, or may form a ring.
A charge adapter according to a third aspect of the present invention is the charge adapter according to the first or second aspect, characterized in that the rotor case has an approximately triangular prism shape having the first contact surface and the second contact surface as side surfaces with respect to a mounting surface of the main unit case of the charge adapter.
As a result, when the cellular phone is mounted in the upright state while the first contact surface of the rotor case faces down, the contact area is wide, and the charge adapter is stable and compact. When the rotor case is turned, and the main unit case of the charge adapter is horizontal with the second contact surface facing down, the upper part of the cellular phone faces obliquely upward.
A charge adapter according to a fourth aspect of the invention is the charge adapter according to any one of the first to third aspects, characterized in that a tuning center of the rotor case is eccentrically set upward against a center in a vertical direction of the mounting surface of the main unit case of the charge adapter.
As a result, the side surface on the contact side of the approximately triangular prism is enlarged for increasing contact stability of the charge adapter in a state where the first contact surface of the rotor case faces down when the cellular phone is mounted in the upright state. Further, when the rotor case is turned and the second contact surface faces down, a contact point on the rotor case is provided further out from the center of gravity of the main unit case of the charge adapter because the turning center of the rotor case is eccentrically set upward. Thus, attitude stability increases when the cellular phone is mounted in the tilted state.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.